Aircraft canopy having a window pane with an integrated flange and load-transferring and distributing members

Abstract

An aircraft canopy includes a window pane, a frame from a primary structure of the aircraft, and a flange fastened to the frame with fastening screw, characterized in that: the flange is secured to the peripheral edge of the window pane by engaging of at least one plate of the flange between plies of the window pane, so that flange and window pane form an all in one-piece assembly, at each fastening screw, a load-transferring and distributing member is arranged between an outer surface of the flange and the fasting screw, a cavity being provided in the flange for receiving the load-transferring and distributing member, the member having a recess for receiving the screw head.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An aircraft canopy comprising:
 a laminated window pane, comprising a superposition of plies and having a peripheral edge; 
 a frame belonging to a primary structure of the aircraft; 
 a flange fastened to the frame by fastening screws having screw heads retracted into the thickness of the flange, the flange fastened to the peripheral edge of the window pane; and 
 at each fastening screw, a load-transferring and distributing member inserted between an outer surface of the flange and said fastening screw, a cavity arranged in the flange to accommodate the load-transferring and distributing member, a hole provided at the bottom of the cavity for passing a screw shank of the fastening screw, the load-transferring and distributing member having a recess for accommodating the screw head and a drilled hole for passing the screw shank, 
 wherein the flange comprises a superposition of plates including an outer plate covering the peripheral edge of the laminated window pane and an inner plate forming an inner surface of the flange, at least part of the inner plate bearing against a web of the frame, 
 wherein at least one of the plates of the flange, qualified as anchoring plate, is embedded between two plies of the window pane along the peripheral edge of the window pane, and 
 wherein at least one cavity is delimited by a peripheral wall comprising, from the inside to the outside of the aircraft:
 the wall of the hole made in the inner plate of the flange for passing the screw shank, the load-transferring and distributing member having a cylindrical tubular lower portion inserted in the hole so as to rest on the frame, and 
 a stepped portion formed by sections of the plates of the flange, the load-transferring and distributing member having an outer lateral side with successive projections that is complementary to the stepped portion of the peripheral wall of the cavity. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The aircraft canopy according to  claim 1 , wherein the cavity and the member sink into the thickness of the flange at least down to the anchoring plate. 
     
     
       3. The aircraft canopy according to  claim 1 , wherein the fastening screws are hexagon-head screws and wherein the recess of the load-transferring and distributing members has a bottom with a flat surface. 
     
     
       4. The aircraft canopy according to  claim 1 , wherein the anchoring plate is an intermediate plate between the outer plate and the inner plate. 
     
     
       5. The aircraft canopy according to  claim 1 , wherein the anchoring plate penetrates the laminated window pane over an anchoring depth equal to at least 10 mm. 
     
     
       6. The aircraft canopy according to  claim 1 , wherein each cavity has a width decreasing from the outside of the aircraft. 
     
     
       7. The aircraft canopy according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one cavity is delimited by a peripheral wall formed by sections of the plates of the flange. 
     
     
       8. The aircraft canopy according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the cavities is delimited by a peripheral wall formed by sections of the plates of the flange and comprises, from the outside to the inside of the aircraft:
 an upper projection at the junction between the outer plate and the plate adjacent to the outer plate of the flange, projection on which an upper outer collar of the load-transferring and distributing member comes to bear; 
 a truncated portion; 
 a lower projection at the junction between the anchoring plate and the plate situated above the anchoring plate, 
 the wall of the hole made for passing the screw shank, the load-transferring and distributing member having a cylindrical tubular lower portion inserted in the hole so as to rest on the frame. 
 
     
     
       9. The aircraft canopy according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the cavities is delimited by a peripheral wall formed by an outer side of the outer plate of the flange, said outer plate turning down into the cavity towards the inside of the aircraft. 
     
     
       10. The aircraft canopy according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 for each fastening screw, a dry O ring seal between an inner side of the flange and the frame, said dry O ring seal surrounding a tubular lower portion of the member accommodating the screw shank, 
 a dry peripheral seal, interposed between a peripheral lateral side of the flange and a flank of the frame, 
 a dry peripheral seal, interposed between the outer plate of the flange and an outer front side of the laminated window pane, and 
 a dry peripheral seal, interposed between the anchoring plate of the flange and a ply of the window pane that is contiguous with the anchoring plate. 
 
     
     
       11. The aircraft canopy according to  claim 1 , further comprising, for each fastening screw, a plug configured to close the recess accommodating the screw head, and to be fastened to the corresponding load-transferring and distributing member by interlocking. 
     
     
       12. The aircraft canopy according to  claim 1 , wherein the window pane integrates an electric circuit powered by a connector connected to the window pane by an electric cable emerging from the window pane.